Fat Friday

I can't remember if I had blogged this recipe before but its worth a repeat. A few years ago for my mother in laws birthday she requested a carrot cake. Two things you should know...

1. I don't like carrot cake.
2. I had never made a carrot cake.

I was about to make a carrot cake... from scratch. No box cake here. I was going all out. I was not really even sure where to begin. I just knew that's...

1. what Mrs. Debbie wanted
2. I love to bake
3. I love to fatten people up with food

...so I was on a mission for a great recipe. Then it hit me. Who has no doubt the best dessert recipes?... Sure they include 10 sticks of butter... but aren't they worth it? Yes, that's right, Paula Deen. So I went to her site and sure enough found her recipe. And it seemed do-able. Perfect.

I will say not only was the recipe easy, so was the homemade icing... well my icing still looks more like an avalanche happening than perfectly spread icing, but it's the thought that counts, right?

Then it was time for the real test: Did it taste good?

Now seeing how I hadn't really cared for carrot cake... I mean who wants a vegetable in their dessert?!... I knew my opinion shouldn't really count. I was eager to hear the response from my fellow birthday celebrators... and....

Success.

They loved it. I even loved it. It's not my favorite and I don't crave it like other desserts, but I certainly would make it again. In fact, for her birthday 3 years in a row now that's what she has requested. Well, I should clarify this by saying, Mrs. Debbie said she didn't care. She loves any dessert. And when I asked her to narrow down the options she mentioned that she liked the carrot cake... and fudge, but that's only because she's a real American who appreciates good fudge.

So all that to say... here's a great carrot cake recipe even for those who don't really like carrot cake.

• Butter, for pans
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, optional

Frosting:

• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 stick salted butter, room temperature
• 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) round pans; Line bottom of the pans with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add eggs and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, blend until combined. Add carrots and pecans, if using.
Pour into pans. Bake for approximately 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pans, place on waxed paper and allow to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:
Add all ingredients, except nuts, into a medium bowl and beat until fluffy using a hand mixer. Stir in the nuts. Spread frosting on top of each cake layer. Stack the cakes on a serving plate and serve.

*I have always been weird and not really cared for layered/tiered cakes. I like the simplistic way of eating a cake cut out of 9x13 pan.... which works in my favor with my avalanche icing. So I just cook my cake in a 9x13 pan. You will have a ton of icing this way, but I'm an icing girl so I don't mind... avalanche and all.